Fresh water only makes up about 3% of the earth’s water. That means that 97% of the earth’s water is salt and we definitely cannot drink that. Even still, a good amount of the freshwater that is available to us is in underground reserves and are somewhat hard to access. This all being said, it is import for us to conserve water even when we are not in a drought. It is also very important for us to teach our children to be conservative with their water usage. Water may become even more of a finite resource as our children get older. Luckily, there are many ways that we can all work on saving water!
STOP LETTING IT RUN
This is something that we are all guilty of. We will sit there and brush our teeth for 2 minutes with the water running, just rinse and turn off! We all buy a few minutes letting our children “wash their hands” aka. play in the sink. Sometimes we even forget to turn our hoses off. Maybe rather than running the water and washing dishes individually, we can soak them in hot soapy and then they will only need a quick rinse after. When we are getting ready to shower don’t let it run for several minutes, just enough time to get it hot. You can also be more conscious of the amount of time you are showering for. These are all things that just let the water run. We can save water and money if we are more conscious of our actions regarding water.
BEING MINDFUL
Stop wasting and start using less. No really, it is simple. If you need to get a glass of water, say 10 times per day, just reuse the same glass all day. You could also carry a water bottle even when at home. This will reduce the amount of dishes you use, thus, reducing the amount you have to wash or how often you run your dishwasher. As mentioned above, soak your dishes in hot soapy water rather than washing each in full stream for who knows how long! Also make sure that your dishwasher is completely full and well arranged before running it. The same goes for a washing machine, instead of only putting a few items make sure that it is a full wash!
Part of being mindful includes what we do to the earth. Everything goes to the water. Be mindful of what pesticides(if any) that you use, they will soak into our water table. Do not put chemicals, toxins, medications or other harsh substances down the drain. You bring them to a dump that accepts chemicals. Every drain enters our water supply. When you change your oil don’t just let it drip. Have a pan there to catch it and clean the excess up with kitty litter. When you go on a picnic or camping trip, pack in and pack out. Do not leave your trash to destroy the earth.
These are just some ways that you can help conserve and protect water. One good way is to have your pipes regularly inspected regularly inspected by a professional plumber to make sure that you are not having any leaks or losing water anywhere!
If you need an inspection or thing you have a leak give Linn Benton Plumbing a call and we can help!
